Editor:
Re: Tax breaks ‘unfair’ March 19.
So Ontario economist Harry Kitchen has jumped on other finance experts’ notion that there are enough wealthy senior retirees that the other not-so-wealthy seniors don’t need any financial breaks.
He thinks grants and “special” aid are the answer for all low-income earners.
His expert opinion is flawed so many ways; let’s hope he doesn’t become a finance government soldier, or the war on seniors will leave us little disposable income to feed into the city.
Edward Rutledge, White Rock
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The article on the Institute for Research and Public Policy is most disturbing, as economist Harry Kitchen suggests that all discounts seniors receive should be abolished.
He argues that all seniors, including those retired, should be paying the same taxes and fees as everyone else. He states seniors are effectively being subsidized by those under 65.
May I suggest seniors have paid the same taxes and fees of which he speaks for many years, and by virtue of their age, have already contributed the most of anyone. Any discounts that exist have been well earned.
These same seniors – most of whom are on drastically reduced incomes of 60-70 per cent, and the majority requiring savings to merely survive, in a climate of increasing costs everywhere – are already being penalized. Kitchen is suggesting they suffer further financial damage in their elder years. Where is the compassion for the citizens that have contributed the most to the Canadian economy over many, many years?
The article uses as an example the elimination by BC Ferries of the seniors discount a year ago, but fails to state the passenger count has been dramatically reduced since then.
Are seniors not to enjoy some minor discounts after contributing so long? If Kitchen is not already 65 and receiving these discounts, he does not really know the ramifications of their proposed disappearance.
R. Conley, Surrey